


Meant

by Nickyrockit



Category: Motorcity
Genre: Action & Romance, Alternate Universe, Detroit Deluxe, Dysfunctional Family, Dystopian, F/M, Family, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-31
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-11 05:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2055903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nickyrockit/pseuds/Nickyrockit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Story about how things could've been for Mike if he'd never left Deluxe. Will he had succeed with his career as a commander? And will he ever take notice of Kane's wrong motives towards Motorcity and Deluxe? While he might not currently be on Motorcity's side, or be a part of the Burner's, there are others who are willing to do whatever it takes to defend it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Special Day

**Author's Note:**

> This is a revised, and edited version of my Motorcity fanfiction "Meant", which is currently available, and going on fanfiction.net. However, if you haven't read this story yet, and are currently starting it, then I suggest you read this updated version instead. There are tons of mistakes on the original version, and I have decided to take the time to revise, shorten, and properly edit this story for a more desirable reading. I will be posting the rest of the chapters as I continue to edit. 
> 
> This story is currently unfinished, so please be patient with updates, I work a full-time job, and work on my stories in my spare time. Other than that, I'd like to remind you all, that this story is set in an alternate universe, and some things, and characters might seem a bit out of place, but I assure you, that as the story goes on, the characters will start acting more and more like we so dearly know. 
> 
> Enjoy, and please review, or leave kudos if you like! :)

Detroit Deluxe, a society which claims to be perfect, safe, and the sun inevitably always shines. Not surprisingly, it took most of Abraham Kane's life to get to where he currently stands; ruling over the perfect city, bringing the best in technology and medical advancements to his citizens. People respected and admired him; a true leader to the Deluxian society, where they would prefer to live clean, and even follow a mandatory dress code if it meant keeping them safe from the hell pit that was Motorcity. Opposites, if you would call it that.   
  
Unlike Deluxe, Motorcity was dark, filthy, un-sanitized, polluted and unhealthy, but most of all, it was dangerous. Filled with criminals as Abraham Kane would always recall; reminding its citizens of the darkness that habited beneath the clean and perfect world that was all his. Bulked with trash, unstable homes and buildings, fattening food that would probably make you sick just by smelling it, and cars… Something that Deluxe did not have was cars. From the start, Kane made sure to ban the transportation vehicles from his precious city; he had a troubled past with them. Instead, the leader provided a safer method for citizens to travel around the city. A hovering pod.  
  
He sold Motorcity as a sickening and death threatening place, and if any Deluxian should decide to venture down there, he/she would automatically be punished. It was his way or no way at all. He didn't care for Motorcity, if anything he wished to remove it from his problems, to erase it from the phase of the earth, of course that was quite difficult, since that would threaten his beloved city as well. Of course that would be rhetorically speaking. What he really wanted was to get rid of those who opposed his choice for a better lifestyle, and either lock them up or eliminate them at the spot. The man never took rejection well, but as expected, there were people down in Motorcity who disagreed to his choices.   
  
There were different gangs that fought for Motorcity, though not all of them fought for the same purpose. It’s one of the main reasons why they marked territories, and tried their best to respect each other's positions and purpose. One of them in particular was of great interest to Kane, the Burners… Motorcity's most well known freedom fighters, and even though Kane knew that they had nothing compared to his level of expertise and weapons, he still wanted to eliminate them.   
  
He marked the Burners for life as Detroit Deluxe's most wanted criminals for various reasons: They brought people hope, hope that made the motorcitizens, and even deluxians believe of a better tomorrow; freedom without Abraham Kane. They've won a couple of battles, and Kane seemed very surprised at how they've managed to out stand him, made a fool out of his technology and armada. And so, he's dedicated himself into building a stronger army, bots, and even weapons to take over the dark city and its filthy Burners. Because how dare them mock his leadership in front of his own people? After all he was just trying to help build a better world for everyone to live in.  
  
Today was special for Abraham Kane, and he was up bright and early, beautiful mandatory day out as always. Strutting thoughtfully along the corridors of Kane Co's Cadet Training Facility, Kane examined his cadet's skills and moves as they trained. He watched as some of them wrestled each other for combat training, how others preferred to work on their strength by lifting weights, and how a couple ran for miles and miles on top of a white hovering treadmill, even though their lungs begged for a break they wouldn’t stop, not now; they had to surpass Kane's expectations. And that was exactly what he wanted, stronger and willing soldiers; the best to bring down Motorcity and its pesky Burners.   
  
After passing most of his cadet’s training stations, Kane stopped in one particular room. A simulating room covered in clear glass for public viewing. Not many possessed the skills or knew how to properly train with it, Kane thought, but the teen inside appeared to be an expert of the source. Kane smirked, as he watched how the cadet jumped, dodged and shot back at its holographic opponent with his laser rifle, letting out a shout of victory as the hologram disappeared to bits from his more than perfect aimed shot. The leader couldn't help it, he smiled and clapped, amazed by his physical and mental skills. Of all his cadets this boy was the one who exceeded in training exercises, he could easily outrank him if he would let him, but there were limits. He knew this boy's potential, and what good it would bring to have him by his side, he just had that spark that he needed.   
  
The cadet panted as he watched a replay of his moves, carefully examining his previous exercise; moves, shots, the way he hit the targets, all of them flawless, so much that his jaw dropped slightly in shock, his eyes widened at his virtual twin while he kicked "virtual butt" as he would always express.   
  
"Well done, Cadet Chilton!" Congratulated Kane with pride as he entered the room.  
  
Catching the teen off guard, he gasped and jumped nervously on his spot, immediately turning to meet his guest. “Mr. Kane!" He called, and quickly saluted with a perfect posture. Sweat trickling down his cheek and neck, his brown hair completely matted with sweat, and he was nowhere near decent to pass a personal uniform inspection.   
  
"At ease, Cadet!" Responded Kane, smiling proudly at the teen, causing Mike's posture to loosen up a bit. "Those were some impressive moves you’ve got there son, you know… You always seem to amaze me every time I come across you…"   
  
Mike smiled at his words; flattered by the kind praise, he’s always received positive compliments from his comrades, but hearing them come from Kane himself always made him feel like he'd already reached his highest goals. It felt like winning a marathon. He's always tried his best to be the exemplary soldier; never getting into trouble, or either fixing a problem whenever it presented itself. He’d been rewarded with higher ranks because of his knowledge and skills, and Kane himself knew that he was more than ready for a position in leadership. It was time to reward his precious trophy soldier once again, after all there was no denying it, he was his favorite of the bunch; a true defender, and yet his most priced weapon.  
  
He placed a supporting hand on Mike’s shoulder, and the cadet glanced up to meet Kane’s gaze. "Go hit the showers, cadet, that's enough training for you today, I expect to see you later at the award ceremony." He said, smiling warmly at him.   
  
“Yes, Sir!" Replied the cadet as Kane took a step back, and resumed his walk through the corridor.  
  
Chilton smiled and sighed, carelessly throwing a sweat towel across his shoulder as he made his way towards the locker rooms.  
  
/  
  
It wasn't very common of motorcitizens to huddle up together, and watch Deluxe's big announcements, they just didn't had a choice. Kane was very determined to let everyone know; (motorcitizens included) of his great achievements; bragging about the new changes and updates that were being made to his perfect city. The Holo-TV's that existed down in Motorcity only transmitted Deluxe's mandatory programming, (Unless you were the Duke of Detroit of course, who knew how to hack his way through the transmission signals to bring a bit of his joyful entertaining self to the Motorcity masses…) and while most might find it boring, it was the only thing they had. People thought that the impulsive action was probably Kane’s technique of impressing the motorcitizens, in hopes of bribing them to give in to him and Deluxe.  
  
"Sickening…" Expressed a dark skinned young man at the thought, he glanced back at was he was currently working on, and pulled back his protective mask down. Picking his airbrush, he continued to spray the white paint over a couple of scratches that sadly adorned his car.  
  
"Tell me about it! I'm sick of getting forced to watch these stupid Kane announcements…" Added a muscle built boy, dressed in a black race suit, accented with red flames as details. "Why can't Texas just shove Kane's messages up his ass? Then he would be the one stuck with his own annoying messages!" He chuckled at his comment hysterically. "Get it? It's like he'll get clogged up or something!" His laugh subsided, and he turned to face the rest of the present beings around him, but not much to his surprise they ended up glaring unimpressively back at him.  
  
"Right…" Commented a skinny shaggy blond boy who was currently ticking his fingers at a holographic screen popped up before him, clearly uninterested in Texas’s comment. With deep concentration he kept typing until another screen popped up; his eyes widening with pride, and he let out a short victory chuckle before he expressed, "Aha! Got it!"  
  
A hand was placed at the blond's shoulder, squeezing softly with appreciation for his work, until the owner decided to occupy the seat next to him. "Good work, Chuck! Now what exactly are we expecting today?" Asked a female voice. The owner vaguely glanced down at the displaying countdown on the Holo-Screen projecting from the Burner's garage's bar area, where an old skinny man mixed strange liquid contents in a blender. She glanced back at Chuck and smiled warmly yet worriedly at him.  
  
"Well… It seems like it's a military award ceremony.” Chuck answered, his invisible eyes still glued to the screen as he kept reading the few details from the hacked Kane Co file.   
  
The girl, tanned skinned and tall with short brown hair; who looked like she was in her early 20's; making her the oldest of the young group, quirked her eyebrows in confusion. "A military award ceremony? Now why would Kane want to announce publicly who his new ass kissers are?" She asked sarcastically.  
  
"I don't know…" Shrugged Chuck.  
  
"If you ask me, it's a pretty dumb idea!" Declared the dark skinned teen.  
  
"You got that right, Dutch! It doesn't make any sense… It's like he's letting us know who his priciest soldiers are, but then again… BOOM! Easy target for us." Chimed the girl as she held an imaginary gun, and shot at nowhere in particular.   
  
"Yeah well he thinks he's trying to scare us off or something, which is even dumber! Because, HELLO! It's not like they have another Texas on their hands?! Because  they obviously don’t! Otherwise Kane would've won by now, but he hasn’t, you wanna know why? Because he doesn't have me, or a cloning machine which he could use to clone me, Texas!” The boy paused his less than obvious indirect self admiration rambling to make a couple of fighting poses as part of his act, swinging his fists in the air, making somersaults, and kicking with all his might as he yelled with each kick and punch that he hit the air with! "KACHAW!" He landed next to the girl who was now unimpressively rolling her eyes.  
  
The old skinny man walked towards the table where the group was now sitting at, and placed a tray that held 4 glasses filled with a green goo. "Seaweed smoothies" He announced with his scratchy voice, smiling proudly at the group for his newest creation.  
  
"Ugh! Really, Jacob? Seaweed? Where did you even get the seaweed to begin with, old man?" Dutch asked, eyeing the green goo with disgust.  
  
Jacob crossed his arms and glared at Dutch very knowingly. "I happened to save a couple of seaweed extract from my old days; genetically modified them, and now I happen to be growing them on a water tank in my lab!" He informed, frowning a bit at the group for the inconsiderate faces they were making at his beverage.   
  
"I'll give it a go! Besides, I'm thirsty!" Chuck announced, and just like promised, he willingly took the glass, and generously sipped the green goo, only to regret his decision in mere seconds. His face reddened, and his eyes widened even though you couldn't really tell, but it was more than obvious. His cheeks puffed, and trying his best to hold it in, he choked a bit. It wasn’t until he couldn’t hold it anymore, that he abruptly pushed the girl out of his way. If it wasn't for her sudden reflexes, she would’ve probably fallen to the ground, while Chuck retched the contents on his mouth on the floor.   
  
Jacob frowned at Chuck. “You’re gonna clean that!" Walking towards the poor girl who was still trying to find her balance and properly stand, he offered a hand, and she willingly took it as he helped her to her feet. “Are you alright?” He asked her, even though she clearly was as a smirk grew on her face while regaining her posture.   
  
“Yeah…” She answered, chuckling softly at the sight of Chuck vomiting. She walked passed the sick boy, and playfully ruffled his hair. "Be good while I'm gone.” She said, walking towards the parked cars in the garage.  
  
Chuck, who was currently wiping his mouth with his hand, raised his head towards the girl; bewildered by her words. “Y-you’re not staying for the announcement?" He asked, a bit offended that she wasn't including her beloved co-pilot along.  
  
She paused her walk, and turned to face Chuck and the rest of the Burners with a bit of guilt. She sighed, and rolled her eyes in defeat. “Okay fine! I'll wait until it starts…" She looked at the countdown once again, and notice that it was only 15 minutes away from starting. "But I honestly don't feel like listening to that bastard's voice. You guys can fill me in when I come back so I can laugh at his dumb tactics."   
  
"At least stay for the introduction, that'll be a laughing riot.” Said Dutch, sarcasm clearly in his voice.   
  
She smirked. "You know what? Maybe I will stay." She declared, taking her seat back on the booth with the rest of the team.  
  
/  
  
Chilton was currently in his dorm room, which consisted of a neatly done bed with a nightstand. Across the room was a plain white desk, and a chair. Jenzen, a young blond man who was already dressed in his Kane Co military uniform was occupying the chair, patiently waiting for his friend to finish with his preparations. Lazily eyeing his watch, the blond glanced at the brunette before rising from his seat. "15 minutes to go, Mike." He said warningly, before leaving the room.  
  
Mike nodded, and turned back to face the mirror as he slipped into his uniform shirt. He stared back at his reflection while he buttoned, and adjusted the uniform properly; popping his collar, and straightening the fabric with a swift of his hand to remove any visible wrinkles. The door hissed again, and he didn't really bother to look, he imagined that Jenzen must've forgotten something and came back, so his eyes remained glued to his reflection. Suddenly, a pair of small hands started to slowly wrap themselves tenderly around Mike's torso, and he would've flinched, jump, or smack them away defensively if these hands belonged to a stranger's, but they were anything but strange to him, and he smirked at the contact.  
  
"You are looking mighty handsome today, cowboy…" Said a seductive, yet sweet feminine voice from behind. He intertwined his fingers with the delicate ones that laid flat against his chest, and turned around to meet its owner. A girl, with big brown eyes, long red straight locks that fell freely behind her back, her lips stained red with lipstick, and she sported a mandatory Kane Co unitard that hugged her chic physique, while white heeled boots adorned her feet.  
  
"You don't look so bad yourself, beautiful,” He replied, cupping her face with his hand while the other brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She blushed at his kind words.  
  
"So… You're ready for the ceremony?" She inquired curiously in a slight playful way as her hands laid once again on his chest; swaying as she straightened the fabric to his more than perfect uniform.  
  
"I guess I am, it's not like I'm being awarded with anything. Not that I know of… I'll just probably be there for respect of others…" He trailed off, his hands falling from her face, and now hugging her hips.  
  
She gave him a warm grin. "Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you.” Her comment suggestive.  
  
He examined her expression for a couple of seconds. “Oh? Do you happen to know something?" He asked raising an eyebrow.   
  
A soft chuckle escaped her lips, her eyes rolling in a playful manner. "Maybe…?" She replied, bitting her lower lip with a smile.  
  
He gave her a soft smile, "Oh really?" And he pulled her closer to him; gently pressing his lips to her forehead.  
  
She giggled at the sudden contact, and she was now backing away ever so slightly so her eyes met his once again. "I don't want to spoil the surprise for you, Mike.” She explained as she escaped from his arms, and started making her way to the door; her fingers still twisted in his as she gently pulled him towards the exit.   
  
"Oh I forgot to tell you,” He started, and she paused, and turned; waiting for what he had to say with curiosity clearly visible in her features. "Your dad payed me a visit this morning while I was training.”   
  
Her eyes widened, nervous at the sudden piece of information. "Did he say anything about…"  
  
"No, he scared the crap out of me though." He paused, and sighed, glancing back at her with concern. "Julie, we have to tell him… I know he knows we know each other but… He's my boss, and I don't want things to get awkward, you know? I hate sneaking around all the time just so I can be with you, it doesn't have to be this way."  
  
Julie nodded acknowledging his words, eventually sighing in defeat. "I know, but he's just so strict! And it's not that he doesn't like you, on the contrary he adores you! He's always talking about you; saying how proud he is of you; how much he trusts you…"   
  
Mike couldn't help but smile at her words, after all, he always thought of Kane as a father figure to him, and to hear that the man himself was proud of him was something that filled the young cadet's heart with warm pride. His current job was his passion, he enjoyed defending Detroit Deluxe and its people, he believed in Deluxe's lifestyle and purpose, and he's worked really hard to make things right in his military career; so much that Kane trusted him? If anything this made him feel flattered and confident about dating his daughter, but most of all, letting him know. “Well, If he likes me so much like you say he does, why would it be a problem? Besides, I’m already assigned to keep an eye on you… What makes you think that he won't trust me with his little princess?" He pulled her towards him once again.  
  
"That he might get crazy overprotective?" She responded softly, her voice barely a whisper as she slowly leaned closer to him, their eyes slowly closing, and their lips only mere inches apart, and they would have succeeded if the door wouldn't have opened abruptly to an alarmed Jenzen.  
  
"He's coming Mike! We have to get in formation now!" Said the desperate blond cadet, his eyes widening at the sight of the couple. He cleared his throat in a respectful manner making the couple blush, and quickly untwine from each other's arms.  
  
"Right!" Julie said, chuckling nervously, and winking at Mike before she exited the room.  
  
Mike on the other hand was taking the whole situation rather well, he smiled cockily at Jenzen. “Relax,” He said walking towards his nightstand and grabbing a Kane Co pin with his last name written on it, flawlessly pinning the last piece of his uniform where it belonged. “I got this…" Confidently walking past Jenzen, and towards the auditorium, which was luckily for him in the same level as his dorm room.   
  
Jenzen smirked and shook his head; chuckling in disbelief at his comrade's usual confidence. “Of course you do…” He said, before exiting the room, and following Mike along the hallway.   
  



	2. Congratulations

0:05  
  
0:04  
  
0:03  
  
0:02  
  
0:01  
  
0:00  
  
The screen went blank, and everyone down in Motorcity braced themselves for the worst. It didn’t had to be said, it was something that could be felt, something that lingered in the air every time that tedious capital K appeared on their screens.  
  
It wasn’t any different for the Burners, and like everyone else, they waited patiently for the announcement to begin. Their eyes remained intently glued to the screen,  where KaneCo’s Broadcasting logo shined like a brand new jewel waiting to stun anyone who dared to feast their eyes upon it. The image of the logo subsided, and a broad white stage now took over the screen. As expected, Kane’s top elites stood neatly in formation as they waited for the ceremony to begin, and though it wasn’t expressed, but it was clear that by the way certain people were dressed in the seating public, that not everyone was a member of the military.  
  
"Oh great! The circus is involved…" Dutch pointed, and he didn't had to explain any further for the rest to understand what he actually meant.   
  
With a sickening expression, Chuck nodded in agreement. The poor lanky teen, still felt sick to his stomach from his encounter with Jacob’s smoothie. “Well, I hope they make it quick!" He expressed nervously, scared of another barf tantrum possibly returning. From now on, he’d make better choices when it came down to Jacob’s food, he noted to himself. He sighed with regret, and took a moment to glance at the girl sitting next to him, who was leaning towards the counter, while her face rested in her folded arms.   
  
"Yeah well I got a feeling that this isn't something we should be concerned about…" She added carelessly. Despite feeling sick, Chuck felt bewildered by her sudden confidence. Kane’s messages didn’t always result in threats, but that didn’t necessarily meant they should lower their guard.   
  
“Well, we don't know that yet!” Chuck retorted. “For all we know, he could declare war on us at the end of the ceremony. There’s a reason why this thing is being broadcasted, you know!"  
   
She straightened herself in her seat, and lightly cleared her throat before glaring back at Chuck. It was his negativity that ticked her the most. “Well, Charles… You said so yourself, it's an award ceremony! I'm pretty sure he just wants to brag about his new toy soldiers, that's all! And I don't even know what's so menacing about them, I mean look at them!" She said, pointing at the rows and rows of cadets standing neatly like statues on stage. Some of them seemed nervous, others uncertain, and very few of them seemed confident to be standing there.   
  
Chuck acknowledged her point, but again, he found it hard to believe. With Kane there was always a catch, something he assumed that she, more that anyone would know by now, and he would’ve continued to validate his point, if it wasn’t for the gradually growing applause resonating from the screen, causing her to grunt, and the both of them to return their attention back to the screen. The rest of the Burners following suit.  
  
Abraham Kane walked up to the stage, and the crowd cheered louder. It was as if the sound was like a drug to him, causing his grin to grow wider with need, waving his hand at the people as he made his way behind the podium. The girl ran her tongue through her teeth, her eyes wincing in irritation at the mere sight of him; hands balling to a hard fist at the image of her dearly despised enemy. He always brought a bad taste to her mouth.  
  
 _“Good evening, Deluxe!"_ Kane started, looking straight at the camera with a rehearsed grin on his face. He then relaxed his features, and gave a quick glance to the sitting crowd, _"KaneCo Executive Staff…"_ before returning his gaze back to the camera. _"Tonight we gather to honor those who defend our city, the ones who's necks are always on the line for our safety; the loyal, strong and the brave that protect us day and night from the danger that lurks below us.”_   
  
"Danger? Aha! So he has heard of Texas!" Declared Texas, who without much thought started to karate chop the countertop before him.  
  
"Dude! Do you mind?!" Voiced Dutch, strongly elbowing Texas; trying to bring him back from his self-glorifying moment.  
  
"Will you quiet down you mindless baboon!" Yelled Jacob, throwing Texas a dirty dried cloth to dry off the contents of a glass that he had accidentally tipped.   
  
"Shhh…" Hushed the girl, and the nasty look on her face was enough to end the commotion, and urge the rest to return their attention back to the holographic screen.   
  
_"And now, a moment of respect and silence for those who've fought, and lost their honorable battle against Motorcity, the fallen.”_ Announced Kane, his gaze slowly dropping to the ground; bowing his head respectfully.  
  
“Oh please! Trying to turn the situation around to mask his mistakes.” She expressed, with a low irritated tone, but no one dared to share a comment.   
  
_"May those souls rest in peace. Their service and dedication will always be honored here in Deluxe."_ With each word, his tone became more sorrowed, and eerie, and like a charm, the public silently bowed for respect. A couple of silent seconds later, Kane gave the crowd a somewhat sympathetic smile before turning his attention towards the rows of KaneCo cadets that stood neatly in formation behind him. He gave them a quick salute, and like programmed robots, they saluted back. _“At ease…”_ He called, and they immediately returned to their previous stance. _"Tonight we honor you cadets, the future of this city's victory relies on your hands. We will honor and award your great achievements, for all your hard work and dedication. We will start by calling those who ranked in Second Lieutenant, and so on… Once your name is called, you will walk up to me, salute, and will be pinned, after that, you may go back in formation until you are dismissed. Is that understood?"_ He called to the army of cadets, and they quickly responded with a loud howl of approval.  
  
 _"Very well…"_ Said Kane walking back to his place behind the podium, where a list of names awaited him. He cleared his throat lightly before calling the first name out loud, officially commencing the award ceremony.  
  
As she gave the large group of cadets standing on the stage a quick mental count, she sighed annoyingly.  "This is going take a while…" She commented, strumming her fingernails desperately against the counter top.   
  
/  
  
A full hour and a half had passed, and Kane was still calling, saluting and pinning cadets, and as much as they tried keeping count of who got pinned and who didn’t, it was still hard to keep up with. They were all dressed in the same pale blue color, all of them sporting that monotonous Deluxe stare, causing them all to look like cloned versions of themselves.   
  
It was no surprise that the Burners started to get bored with the program, and Texas was the first to let it show. The martial artist was wearing what looked like virtual glasses, which he usually used to watch some of his favorite vintage action movies, since the rest of the Burners never showed interest whenever he suggested the idea of watching the flicks. Texas was flaying his hands in the air, kicking and punching with excitement; mimicking whatever it is that he was watching, which was probably one of his exciting karate action packed movies; anything was better than this oh so boring mandatory award ceremony. “Kachaw!” He shouted in a low high pitched voice.  
  
Dutch rolled his eyes as the sound of Texa's voice reached his ears, he too was trying to kill time during the never ending announcement. He held three cards in his hands, and gave the green robot that hovered before him a quick glance; who was also holding three cards in his synthetic robotic hands. "Your turn, buddy!" He informed, sighing a smile at him. The robot replied with a low high pitched buzzing hum, and threw his picked card, which caused Dutch's eyes to widen. "Are you serious? That's three times in a row!" He protested, throwing his cards down on the countertop, causing his opponent to hum cheerfully at his triumph. He peeked at the screen, and Kane was still calling names, and pinning cadets. With all the time that’s passed he was sure that they’d at least be more than halfway done, but that didn’t seem the case.   
  
"Man how much longer is this gonna take?" He sighed annoyingly, and the sitting duo next to him darted their eyes at him.  
  
"I don't know bro, but I swear I’m gonna shoot myself in the head if this keeps up!” Said the girl, with a little desperation in her tone, her fingernails still strumming the counter top, each time harder and harder as her patience was clearly starting to loose control.  
  
"You can always help me with the dishes…" The old man sang suggestively, scrubbing burnt food from a pan with an old worn out sponge.   
  
In response, she let out a sarcastic bark of laughter, and stood from the stool to stretch her legs. "You know what?” She started, shoving a hand into her pant’s pocket. “I can't take it!" She said, shaking her head, and finally pulling a set of keys out. She didn't need to explain any further for the rest to understand what her intentions were. “I seriously need to get out of here before I loose my mind, so unless none of you wish to join me, you guys can fill me in when I get back!" Was all she explained.  
  
No one seemed surprised by her sudden decision, after all, she wasn't the type of person who sat and waited for action to come at her. The award ceremony didn't seem important to her, neither to the rest, minus Chuck; who still had a gut feeling about something bad happening. He hated the fact that he had to wait and see for himself if that was true or not. He hated even more that he was the only one concerned, and he wished more than anything that his best friend would show more interest in something so serious as a Kane announcement, even if it was just a stupid boring military award ceremony.    
  
"Wait! He's bumping ranks, he's done with the Ultra Elites, I think it's almost done!" Called Chuck, trying to miraculously change her mind. But her mind was determined, and she rolled her eyes, shook her head and turned to leave.  
  
 _"…The time has come to announce Detroit Deluxe's newest Commander…"_ Kane's voice announced, and a sudden silence took over their surroundings.  
  
"Yeah well like I said, you can tell me all about it when I get back!" She said, carelessly making her way towards the parked cars.   
  
_"Deluxe! Meet our newest commander…"_   
  
"Alright…" Responded a disappointed Chuck, turning his attention back to the screen, Dutch and Jacob doing the same as they listened with sudden curiousity at what was left of the award ceremony.  
  
 _"…Commander Chilton!"_ Announced Kane, with great pride in his voice.  
  
She heard it, she heard the name loud and clear, like a ping that suddenly triggered something horrible inside of her, something horrible enough to make her stomach turn, and the air around her seemingly heavy to fill her lungs. “W-what?” She whispered in disbelief, before daring a glance back at the screen. Her eyes widened in shock. “Th-that’s not possible,” She breathed painfully before she crumbled to her knees in defeat.  
  
The effect didn’t take long to reach the other’s either, and with the pierced shock in their eyes, Chuck, Dutch and Jacob quickly turned to glance at the now stupefied girl. It didn’t take long for Texas to find out as well. He didn’t share a thought, a word, anything, the concern in everyone’s eyes was enough for him to know that his friend and leader needed support at the moment.  
  
/  
  
Feeling as if someone had suddenly punched the air out of him, the stunned, and confused teen stared back at the crowd. He shook his head in confusion; everyone was staring at him; smiling, clapping and cheering him on, like millions of fans requesting their beloved star to receive their well deserved prize. But he wasn’t a star, and he was very well aware of that, he was just a teen, and this was surely a mistake, he thought. But the pride smile that Kane was currently giving him said otherwise, and without much choice, Mike sucked in a deep breath and took a step towards his superior. It took him a couple of seconds to recoil, his mind racing with thousands of questions, too distracted for him to react properly, but he finally saluted as he stood before Kane.  
  
The pride in Kane’s face almost turned sentimental as he pinned the Stars and Sabers on Mike’s uniform, like a father who had the honors of making all of his child’s dreams come true.  
  
"Recite the ode cadet." Kane instructed, raising his right hand.   
  
Mike blinked, and for a split second froze, but he mimicked the action before they both recited in unison, "I solemnly swear loyalty to Deluxe, and to defend it at any cause, to forever wage battle against it's enemies..."  
  
  
"Congratulations _Commander…_ " Kane finished, shaking Mike’s hand in a congratulatory manner, and the crowd once again cheered for him.  
  
It all happened so fast, so unexpected, and he still couldn’t believe it. How far he’s gotten in so little time compared to others. How young he was. He must’ve broken a new record or something, he thought, Deluxe’s youngest commander. The tittle felt too heavy on him, but he trusted Kane and his decisions, and with a quick glance to his leader, he smiled, and accepted his fate.  
  
/   
  
Her eyes watered, and a single tear trickled down her cheek. Though she wasn't sure if it was because her lungs begged for air, or because the image before her was an illusion, but the pain in her heart confirmed that it wasn't a dream, and those tears were in fact caused by the sudden ghost on the screen.  
  
"…pri…" She heard a distant voice, though she knew it was near.  
  
"Capri!" Chuck called to her, this time she finally reacted and slowly turned her horrid gaze to him. Chuck sighed worriedly at her, unsure of what to say as he knelt down, and helped her to her feet.  
  
Capri didn’t say anything either, she was too stunned and hurt to do so, her feet wobbling as she stood, too numb to function properly. Her mind twirling with unwanted thoughts and memories. She closed her eyes, unwilling to hold anything back, she desperately clutched to Chuck, burying her face in his chest as her heart gave up, allowing low sobs to escape her lips.  
  
Chuck was dumbfounded, and so was everyone else. They all had questions, they all wanted to know how, or why? But it just wasn’t the right time to do so. Their leader was upset, and right now she needed their comfort more than ever, without questions asked.  
  
The ceremony was finally over and the broadcast finally ended, making the screens return to its regular TV programming.   
  
/  
  
After being dismissed, the commander made his way down the stage along with the sea of cadets. Every now and then, people interrupted his pace to congratulate him for his newly earned title, while some of his comrades glowered with envy as they passed by. Mike lowered his gaze. He couldn’t really blame them for doing so, he was so young, so unexperienced compared to others.  
  
A woman approached the teen, her eyes wrinkled with years of experience. “Congratulations Commander!” She said, smiling warm and kindly; almost inviting. Mike smiled sheepishly as the realization started to sink in. This woman trusted him.  
  
Mike shifted his weight unsurely. “Er… Thanks.” He replied. It was flattering to be admired, to be looked up to, and as he resumed his walk, the more it grew. People who he’s never seen before wanted to share some praise with him. They all trusted him.   
  
And as he made his way through the crowd, he couldn’t help but noticing how certain cadets joined with their families. He noticed the pride in the father’s faces, the warmth in a mother’s hug… How much he craved that. Mike sighed, it was impossible for him to say otherwise. While other’s envied his rank, he envied the fact that at least they had a family to celebrate their success with.  
  
He didn’t remember much of his family, but he knew for a fact that he missed the unknown feeling. Luckily for him, the feeling subsided as he spotted a familiar face in the crowd, causing his frown to flip. Julie grinned at the sight of him, her eyes glimmering in pride as she neared her beloved boyfriend. However, her feet halted, and her smile died when another figure won her over towards Mike. The sight of his superior always felt like an instinct call, and like always, his right hand flew towards his forehead to salute.  
  
"Sir." Mike respectfully saluted at Kane.   
  
Instead of showing his usual assertiveness, Kane’s features softened, and he placed a caring heavy hand on Mike’s shoulder. The commander raised a confused brow at the action.  
  
"At ease commander, I'm just here to personally congratulate you, son." He replied, and Mike's posture relaxed, his hands gliding towards his pockets in a relaxing manner, as a small thankful smile spread across his face.   
  
"Thank you, sir…" He replied, his gaze suddenly falling to the ground in thought.   
  
Kane noticed this of course, and curiosity started to rise in him. "Is something wrong, commander?" He asked with little concern.  
  
Mike seemed surprised at the question, his eyes widened a bit, but he straightened his posture to properly face Kane again, and he sighed. “I-I’m sorry sir, But I’m still kind of… Surprised with the new rank, I guess…” Mike shrugged. “I don’t fully understand… Why me?” Kane tilted his head and arched an eyebrow at the teen, and for a second, the commander regretted his words.   
  
Kane smiled, and the worry flew out of Chilton’s shoulders at the instant. “Son,” He started in a low voice that was only meant to be audible for the two of them. “You’ve outshone your comrades, in all skills; mentally and physically. Your talent and dedication goes beyond my highest Ultra Elite, and I trust you, Chilton. You’ve earned this rank, and I know it may seem drastic, but I know you won’t let me or this city down.”  
  
Mike smiled at his words, how could he not? He’d just made it, and it was hard for him to believe, that’s all. He gave Kane a respectful nod, and firmly shook Kane’s hand. “I won’t let you down, sir.” He answered with certainty.  
  
"I know you won't." Responded Kane with reassurance.   
  
Julie, who's been standing this whole time next to Kane, took a step forward, and cleared her throat, taking both men's attention. "Congratulations Commander." She said, shyly extending a respectful hand towards Mike. He chuckled nervously under his breath, and wrapped his huge hand around her small one and shook it.  
  
"Thank you." He replied politely, and though he tried his best to control himself, he still felt as his cheeks began to burn to a blush. It’s not that he was embarrassed, but Julie always had this effect on him, and having her father around didn’t help the situation what so ever.  
  
Kane chuckled, and took a step back into the conversation. "That being said, if you don't have any plans for tonight, how would you like to join me and Julie for a celebration dinner?"  
  
The sudden offer caused both Mike and Julie's eyes to widen. He didn't exactly had anything planned for the night, other than probably see the girl who was standing right in front of him. Julie's eyes darted to Mike's as she looked for support in them. He knew what she was thinking, how awkward this might turn out to be, but Mike’s gaze softened as he put more thought into Kane's offer. "Um… Sure! Thank you!" He quickly answered, still surprised that Kane trusted him so much to the point of inviting him over to his home for dinner, a dinner to honor him? This for sure had to be his luckiest day.   
  
Kane nodded. "Very well, I'll see you in about an hour?” He suggested, and Mike nodded. Kane grinned at the silent response, and gave his daughter a knowing look before he left the unknown couple to themselves, to which Julie just rolled her eyes, and pursed her lips in distaste.  
  
There was a brief silence between the two, both of them tracking Kane’s distance, and when it was obvious that he was out of earshot, they both turned to look back at each other.  
  
Julie smiled warmly. "I'd kiss you right now but, you know… Too many people around!" She chuckled.   
  
Mike gave her a half smile for her comment, but his expression quickly changed, and he scrunched his eyebrows at a thought.   
  
Julie raised a questioning brow at this, but with a smile she asked, “What?”  
  
"You knew didn't you?" Mike asked.  
  
Her smile faded as she registered the question. "About what… About your rank?"   
  
He nodded. "Yeah, why didn't you tell me?"   
  
"Because _commander_ I already told you, I didn't want to spoil the surprise for you… " She replied, daring a few steps closer to him. She sighed, and lightly brushed the new stars and sabers pinned on his uniform. "I know what you're thinking…" She started, causing Mike's wondering gaze fall upon her. "And trust me, I had to take a double look on the files when I first came across them. You are till this day the youngest commander KaneCo’s ever had.” Though he should feel pride, it was still a little unsettling.  
  
“My dad trusts you, Mike, and I can honestly see why… This city needs someone like you up there. I-I know it’s hard to explain, but you just have that edge. So don’t beat yourself so hard, this was very well deserved, and I’m very proud of you.” She took a moment to gaze at him, a prideful smile growing on her lips. Mike was speechless for her words.   
  
Having little to no care about being seen by the people around them, Mike brought her into a tender hug. Julie was surprised at the gesture, her cheeks blushing lightly, her eyes nervously scanning the area for her father’s presence, but her worries melted at his closeness, and she quickly wrapped her arms around his torso.  
  
“Thanks, Jules…" He whispered to her, a warm smile spreading across his face. Julie wasn’t family, and he wasn’t allowed to speak freely about who she was to him, but she was more than enough, and all he had. A blessing in disguise.  
  
With a light and nervous chuckle, Julie broke the hug, once again scavenging her surroundings for any sign of her father. It was a tedious habit that she had, but doing things behind her father’s back demanded high quality caution. She didn’t enjoy one bit of it, but knowing her father, Kane would never tolerate such nonsense like dating. She huffed a breath, and darted her troubled gaze towards Mike. Her boyfriend wasn’t just anyone… And the thought brought a relieving smile to her face.  
  
“You know… I was thinking.” She started, and Mike slightly tilted his head at her, contently waiting for what she had to say. “You’re right! I think it’s time we let my dad know, and now that you’re coming over to our humble abode, we should definitely take this opportunity to finally let him know that you and I… You know…” She shuffled her feet shyly at the insinuation.   
  
In a matter of seconds, Mike's expression changed from warmth and care to sudden fear and nervousness. Wasn’t he the one trying to convince Julie not too long ago about doing this? He wasn't exactly sure if it was the way his day was turning, and he still wasn't sure how to swallow his recent events, but besides worrying about the large responsibility now resting upon his shoulders as commander, he also had to worry about letting his superior know that he’s been lying to him, and secretly dating his daughter. He swallowed hard at the realization. Kane trusted, and expected so much of him, and knowing how protective he was over Julie didn’t brighten up the situation whatsoever. He glanced down at Julie in thought and forced a nod, somewhat agreeing with her.   
  
She smiled, and let out a heavy sigh. “Great! Well I guess I'll see you in a bit.” Julie said, with a sense of satisfaction on her voice.   
  
With a nervous grin, Mike nodded again. “Yeah…”   
  
_‘This ought to be an interesting night…’_ He thought as they both parted their separate ways.  
  



	3. Revelations Pt. I

"What was dad like?" Asked a boy, roughly around the age of 8. His shaggy brown locks concealed the curious accent that was his raised eyebrow. Mouth slightly ajar to reveal the gap from his missing teeth. Like the child that he was, he swung his legs back and forth from the edge of the twin sized bed he was currently sitting on, while standard issue KaneCo pajamas cozied his small frame. It was nighttime, and though there were no windows in the room, the serene silence surrounding the small dormitory, gave it up. The only sound being, the low swish of the cool air as it traveled through the air vents.  
  
He glanced worriedly at the dazing girl sitting next to him, puzzled that he hadn’t manage to get her attention. The girl didn’t look back. She looked distracted, her eyes staring at nothing in particular, and her mind… Long lost.  
  
"Capri?" he called, this time taking her off her thoughts.   
  
Eyes widening, and lightly jumping in her spot at the mention of her name, she glanced down at the boy in wonder, as a warm grin grew on her face. His face lit up, somewhat relieved to see the familiar grin on her face, his eyes excited for her response. He always asked the same question, at least 3-5 times a month, and she never minded answering the same response. It was as if he needed to feed from her clear memories in order for him to always remember the past, something that was always a blur to him.  
  
"He was very brave…" She started, with a painful bliss at the thought. "He was tall, and very strong… He could easily carry both you and me at the same time," She paused, and chuckled to herself at the memory. "He was very dedicated with his work, and with us, and you happen to look just like him!" She commented, causing a wide toothless grin to spread across the young boy's face; his eyes glimmering with pride just like they always did every time he listened to the same descriptions. “And he was very… Funny!" Her hands ruffled his hair, causing a giggle to escape the young boy's mouth.   
  
She laughed along with him, as her hands traveled to his stomach where they wiggled ferociously, causing a loud cackle to erupt from him.   
  
"Hey stop!" He cried in between laughter, trying his best to reply the action, but failing terribly at it as Capri managed to dodged his squiggly fingers away from her. She was always quicker than him when it came down to reflexes, though he wasn't too far behind when it came down to physical skills.    
  
"Hey no fair! It's always one way with you, isn't it?" He protested in slight frustration, crossing his arms and pouting his lips. Capri smiled, and placed a hand on his shoulder, his eyes suddenly falling upon the brunette sitting next to him, his lips flipping upward to a smile. He could never stay mad at her. She was all he had.  
  
They remained silent for a couple of seconds before Capri let out a heavy sigh, and stretched her arms upwards. “Alright, it’s time for bed, Michael." she declared while she stood from the bed to properly face the 8 year old.   
  
Michael frowned at the mention of his name, the pout returning to his lips as he looked away from her with sudden irritation. “It’s, Mike!" He corrected, folding his arms once again.   
  
The taller brunette chuckled at this; he always preferred the short version of his name. Rolling her eyes, she motioned for him to get under the covers. “Okay, _Mike…_ " she replied in a teasing sarcastic voice. He stood from the bed, and she held the covers up; welcoming him into his warm slumber’s nest. Hesitantly, he lied down, and Capri tucked him in, planting a kiss on his forehead along the process, and like any 8 year old boy would react, he grimaced at the gesture.   
  
“Goodnight, Michael…" Capri said, making her way towards the opposite side of the room to where her bed was situated. She sat at the edge, and kicked her shoes off her feet, preparing herself for the good night’s rest that her body desperately begged for.  
  
" _Mike…_ " He pressed dazedly before he drifted to sleep.  
  
Capri shook her head with a smile, and tucked herself in before turning her lamp off, the room suddenly turning pitch black. Her mind returning to those worried thoughts that haunted her earlier… And in that moment, she wished for every night to be the same as this one. Regardless if she had to describe over and over to Mike how their parents looked, and were like. In this tiny room located in one of Deluxe's orphanage. No, this was luxury compared to what might await the 10 year old in the next couple of days. She carried something very valuable in her, something that she wasn’t supposed to know… Something that caused hope and fear for her and Mike's well being. She gulped, and curled her tiny frame in the mattress.  
  
 _'This could change everything…'_ She thought.   
  
Luckily, the thought didn't last long before she gave in, and drifted into her slumber…  
  
…   
  
A sudden thud brought the brunette back to reality, with a small gasp, her eyes widened. Jacob had placed a cup of some sort of steaming liquid on the surface of the table, where her arms and head were currently resting. She took a moment to glance at her surroundings, the garage was far too quiet than the usual, not a Burner, tool or an engine to be heard.  
  
The old man gave her a concerned look. "It'll help you sleep…" Were the only words Jacob provided; a sad attempt at providing her with some comfort.   
  
Automatically, she pushed the mug away, like a stubborn little girl who refused to eat her vegetables. This seemed to have upset Jacob, because his arms folded across his chest, and his expression read of one who've just been offended. He raised an eyebrow at her, even though her sorrowed bloodshot eyes never met his. "If you must know, it’s not one of my creations. It's just some chamomile tea from that herb lady downtown!" He replied nastily.   
  
She let out a heavy sigh before straightening herself in her seat, stretched her arm, and reach for the mug before she pulled it towards her. "Thanks…" She replied in a low voice, her gloved hands raising the mug towards her face so she could take a proper sniff at the hot beverage.  
  
Jacob's expression softened. He didn’t have the will to stay upset at her, not now. This was probably the most vulnerable he's ever seen her, and that was a lot to take in. This behavior was just not like her at all. He sighed, and took a seat next to her while she took her first sip of the tea. "I can only imagine how hard it was for you…" He commented, trying to get more words out of her. His hard gaze fixed on his hands that rested on the table.   
  
She set the mug down, her eyes falling to the table as well as she slowly started to shake her head. "I don't want to talk about it." She immediately added with a raw tone.   
  
“Look, Capri, you are one tough young lady. You and the Burners have come a long way, done so much good for this city, sometimes accomplished the impossible for the people down here…" He paused as soon as Capri's hurt eyes fell upon his concerned ones, letting out a heavy sigh he continued with his words. "I know this isn't easy for you…"   
  
She kept shaking her head, causing the old man to abruptly pause his words. "I said I don't want to talk about it, Jacob!" She pressed. Her throat was getting tighter at the thought, and her eyes once again glistened with fresh tears.   
  
Jacob frowned at her stubbornness. Here he was trying to console her, and she just didn't want support. As if she would prefer to stay shattered while carrying the burden all by herself. He wouldn't permit it. She might act like she's made out of stone, but even the bravest people he's known reached a breaking point, and this was hers… "At least you know he's alive." He quickly added, and at his words her wet brown eyes met his.  
  
Breaking eye contact, she looked down at the mug she held in her hands as the tears streamed freely through her cheeks. For a second her sobs seemed to have confused Jacob. Were her cries a symbol of relief or frustration? “T-this is all my fault…" She stammered, freeing herself from whatever mental restrain she was holding herself against.   
  
"This was certainly not your fault, Capri. You did what you had to do to protect him!"  
  
“Yes, it is! I should've never left him!" Her voice broken, and filled with guilt.   
  
Her cries echoed through the entire garage, and a new set of footsteps neared her and Jacob's spot. Capri's face was buried in between her arms while Jacob's consoling words accompanied her anguished sobs.  
  
Chuck now stood next to Jacob, and with a light touch he caught the old man's attention, giving him a worried look; silently asking about the leader’s state, even though it was more than clear that her progress was anything but positive. Unlike Jacob, who miraculously knew about the brunette’s past, Chuck and the rest of the Burners were still left in the dark about the real reason behind their leader’s reaction upon seeing that Chilton boy on the screen. They shared the same last name, and physically resembled one another quite a lot, so it was evident that they were somehow related. Why was she so upset was still a mystery to the blond teen and the rest of the Burners.  
  
"I'm sorry…" She apologized with a sheepish broken tone, and with her words, Jacob stood, silently switching places with Chuck. Thinking that the blond teen might provide better support than him.  
  
"Capri…" Chuck started, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, she suddenly felt it necessary to meet his hidden eyes. "I'm not really sure what's going on, but I can only guess that you're somehow related to Deluxe's newest commander. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. We don't really know much about your past anyway, but Cap, we do care for you! We're your friends, and we're worried about you! Seeing you like this… It wasn't easy for us…" He frowned at the thought. The sight of her hopeless facade was something he truly hated, and it didn’t help that he didn’t know much about her troubled past, as he was unsure on how to properly console her. But something was certain, his noggin itched to know the truth.  
  
Capri sunk into Chuck's words, though tears still streamed through her cheeks like an endless flowing river, her face was more calm, her eyes thoughtful yet vague.  She nodded at Chuck. "He's my younger brother,” She spoke lowly; finally admitting her most priced secret. Chuck’s face beamed with surprise, and he even pushed his fringe back so his eyes could properly meet hers. "Michael…" She continued, still snuffling in between words. "He's around you guy's age actually…"  
  
Chuck looked at her with great interest, grateful for the sudden piece of information, but mostly because she was finally opening up to him. His friendship with Capri was mostly professional, but very discreet. She was a very private and cold person; not much of a personal talker, he'd always assumed that it was because of the age gap, after all she was older than him by 4 years.   
  
For a second, Chuck felt unable to speak, though in reality he was just shocked at the sudden revealed fact. "You two look a lot alike…" He finally said with a careful tone. Even though this was all new to him; he didn't want to say anything that could bring the brunette to her down state once again.   
  
A small smile spread in Capri's dazed face. "Yeah… we do…" But as soon as she finished saying the last word, her smile faltered, and her eyes closed shut as another set of fresh tears trickled down her cheeks. She tried her best to compose herself, but evidently it was too much for her to handle at the moment.  
  
The blond teen frowned at her sudden change of behavior. He thought she had started to make some progress, even a smile had crept across her face, but the sudden rush of guilt was something difficult for him to shake, he had triggered something in her. "Hey… I- I'm sorry, we don't have to talk about it if you don't really want to!”    
  
She shook her head to dismiss his words, and she quickly dried her teary eyes before they met his. “I-it’s not that, it's just that… I haven't seen Mike since I left Deluxe, and it's everything together! The thought of him being alive. Yes, I am beyond thankful for that. But all these years, I thought I would never see him again, because of what I did… The reason I left Deluxe… I-it was… I was just selfish, and I left him, _him_! He was the only person I had, and I made a promise to our parents that I’d always look out for him, and I couldn’t even do that. He always looked up to me, and I failed him! I left him with that… That monster! What if… What if Kane had other plans for him as a punishment for my actions? I-I just…” She stopped, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. No matter how much time had passed, those dark thoughts were always haunting her mind.  
  
"But nothing bad happened to him, Capri, and if you ask me, he’s seems to be doing pretty well!” Chuck supported.   
  
Capri frowned. It wasn’t that he was alive, it was the side he was on, the way he was promoted to such a high post, so out in the open for everyone to see. "You don't get it! He's… Kane's doing this on purpose!” She blurted, and both Chuck and Jacob exchanged a look. “I can bet you anything that this whole thing has a purpose!" Her tone crude, her bloodshot angry eyes shooting through Chuck and Jacob.  
  
If Chuck and Jacob were confused before, now they were beyond that, as their eyes begged for a deeper explanation.  
  
"And why is it precisely that you think Kane is pronouncing your brother as his Commander?" Inquired Jacob, with clear sarcasm in his tone, his arms folding across his chest in an unconvinced manner.  
  
Capri let out a frustrated sigh, and wiped away a couple of tears, though they weren’t out of sadness, she realized, it was out of anger. "Isn't it obvious? Our last name is tainted to that man. He's trying to get to me." She answered.   
  
There was a brief silence for a couple of seconds. Jacob raised an eyebrow at the brunette, and the blond teen just shook his head as he tried to comprehend what the leader's words truly meant.   
  
Chuck opened his mouth, as if a sudden thought had occurred to him, but before he allowed a word to escape him, he went ahead and closed it again. Thinking carefully about his words. “I’m sorry, but aren’t you supposed to be dead to Kane’s eyes?” He finally let the thought slip.  
  
"Yeah, isn't that why you use that pretty little handkerchief you have tied around your neck? You hide your face every time you leave the garage. I’m pretty sure little to no one, besides the Burners knows who you really are down here!” Jacob supported, still appearing to be very unconvinced by her sudden conclusion.  
  
Capri's gaze fell to the table at the thought. "That's what I thought too… But think about it guys, what else could it possibly be? I mean, why Mike? He's so young… Why would Kane give a 17 year old that kind of heavy responsibility? Out of all his soldiers, it had to be him! It just doesn't make sense…" The three of them fell silent. Their faces, filled with more questions that they obviously didn’t have the answers to.  
  
Even though Chuck was usually loyal to whatever proposition Capri had, this time, he seemed to be the least convinced. Shaking his head, he kept on pondering about the subject. Something was just not making sense to him. “But the KaneCo database states that you’re deceased.” The blond spoke his thoughts aloud, his words catching both Capri and Jacob’s attention. “You’ve said so yourself!” This time, he spoke with certainty. “And I’ve tripled checked that. It even says that the cause of your death was by a catastrophic accident. Don't you think that if Kane had any suspicions about your existence it would have been updated? And another thing…" The programmer paused, taking the moment to pop a holographic screen before him. Typing some sort of incomprehensible code, he hacked his way into KaneCo’s data base like he was so used to doing periodically. Once he succeeded, he took the liberty to type the name ‘Michael Chilton’ on the search bar, and in less than a second, Mike’s personal file appeared before their eyes, revealing every single fact about him; age, sex, date of birth, eye and skin color, height, weight, education, current job position, rank, level of clearance, finger prints, blood type… It even went as far as showing his medical records, and a profile picture of him sporting his KaneCo military uniform.  
  
Capri felt short of breath at the ongoing information before her. It was like a brutal update from his long forgotten sibling. Sighing painfully, she turned her face away from the screen, unwilling to face it all.   
  
“All this time, and you care to tell me that you never once got curious enough to check up on him?” Asked a perplexed Chuck.  
  
It was painful enough for Capri to regret her past actions, but for Chuck himself to question her about it made her feel even worst about the whole ordeal. She bit her lower lip, and sheepishly shook her head. “I was always afraid of what I might’ve found…” There was a brief silence, and Chuck’s questioning gaze fell to his feet at the pity that was suddenly consuming him. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I don’t think I would have been able to forgive myself if something did happened to him. I left him, and while both choices might’ve endangered him anyway, I regret ever leaving him behind. But I guess it’s too late for me to realize that he would’ve been safer by my side. And now…” She dared a peek at the holo-screen before her, her eyes falling upon her brother’s picture. Anger suddenly rushing through her veins. “He’s by that monster’s side! And I can honestly say that this has got to be my worst nightmare!”  
  
"I understand… But what if his rank was actually well deserved?” Chuck asked softly, trying his best to sound as reasonable as possible.    
  
Capri's eyes darted to Chuck's hidden ones, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought about his words, and a soft chuckle escaped her lips. "I wouldn't doubt it… I know he has what it takes to succeed. But that still doesn’t ease the worry about Kane’s true intentions with all of this…  
  
/  
  
Mike was currently walking out of his dorm room, his pace normal but his pensive eyes rested upon his moving feet as he made his way towards the elevator. The golden glow that adorned the hallways of the building announced that the sun was at it's setting.   
  
Completely lost in thought, and probably because he wasn't used to it, Mike was completely unaware of the fact that a couple of cadets walking by him had stopped to salute him. It wasn’t something that required any special training, it was part of the many mandatory rules implemented in KaneCo’s militia. ‘Always stop and salute those superior to you.’  
  
A ding let Mike know that his lift was waiting for him, and he stepped inside and pressed the correct button to his exit. His walk out of KaneCo Cadet's dorm building was even more odd to him, by now he had noticed the passing cadets stopping and saluting. It took him a couple of seconds for him to react, and remember why the sudden change of behavior in his comrades. He wasn't one of the bunch anymore; he was superior, and deserved their respect from now on. With out of the bunch meant, moving out of the cadet’s dorm building within the next couple of days, and into his new quarters, where the higher ranked resided.   
  
He sighed at the thought. Was he really ready for such a big responsibility? From now on he wasn't just a common soldier, he had to watch over the sea of cadets surrounding him, and while he wore the same colors as them, it was more than clear that from now on, things wouldn’t be the same. From now on he was to be admired, respected, asked for permission to speak, await for his orders, permission to act, saluted… etc.  
  
Was this all too much?   
  
His stomach turned when his hand reached KaneCo Tower's main entrance. Once inside, the difference in ambience was difficult to ignore. He was currently standing inside a large lobby, where the most sophisticated people he’s ever seen lounged around, either reading something on their holo-pads, chit chatting or listening to the formal music that played in the background. Everything in the room seemed so perfect and nicely decorated, from the plants to the furniture, and even the huge portrait of Kane himself that hung behind the open lobby’s front desk added a sense of supremacy to the environment. Somehow making him feel like he didn’t belong.  
  
Shaking the thought, Mike walked up to the receptionist sitting behind the desk. As soon as his familiar face rung a bell to her mind, she grinned politely at him. Before he could even say a word, the girl behind the desk spoke. “Good evening, Commander.” She greeted, her grin growing on her lips as her excited eyes fixed themselves upon the teenager before her.  
  
“Uh… Hi! I believe Kane-“  
  
“Yes, Mr. Kane is expecting you." She interrupted very knowingly, her fingers typing quickly something on her holo-keyboard before her. Mike didn't know if the fact that she was completing his sentences helped or worsened his nerves, after all, he wasn't just going to dinner at his boss's luxurious home, he also had to talk to him about something very foreign to his main purpose of visit.   
  
"Alright, level 30, the Penthouse… They're waiting for you. Have a very nice evening Commander." Beamed the receptionist, taking Mike away from his thoughts.  
  
"Oh… Thanks, you too." He said before turning, and heading towards the elevators. Pressing the correct level he breathed heavily, bracing himself for what his night had to offer.  
  
*Ding!*  
  
He stepped out, and walked towards the only door the small corridor had to offer. He knocked softly, and waited patiently for an answer.


End file.
